Earthquake & Stitching

I was woken this morning at 1am and thought someone was shaking the bed. Then I realised the house was shaking! DH shot out of bed saying what the hell's going on! I just laid there; too damned scared to move. Yes it was an earthquake. Something I have never experienced before and never want to again. It's a rare occurance here in the UK, although according to the news we get quite a lot in a year but obviously most are insignificant to the 5.2 on the rickter ( spelling?) scale of the one this morning. Apparently it's the strongest quake we've had since 1984. We didn't feel that one here but as we are only about 60 miles north of the epicentre we certainly felt this one. Jess thought she'd dreamt it and Abi was too scared to walk to school this morning. I must admit I am still rather uptight about it. I hope everyone on Lincolnshire is safe and there isn't too much damage, especially Claire and Karan.

Onto my stitching:) Last week I stitched up a small piece, Victoria Sampler Tiny Things, and tried my first tin finish:) Julie sent me an Altoids tin last year and I wanted to send the tin back to Julie as a thank you. Unfortunately after I'd glued the fabric inside I made the mistake of closing it up and the exposed parts of the tin went rusty so I didn't want to send it like that. Anyway I am happy with it otherwise:)

Last night was Ink Circles Sea Stars SAL with Karen and I finally finished the octopus and moved onto the ship's wheel. I love how this is stitching up and look forward to picking it up every Tuesday. I might have got more done had I not been on the Internet for a while lookin at fabrics!

I finished my second page for Chris' RR too so am now looking forward to getting Tracy's next month and stitching on hers. I hope this is OK Chris:)

I am still thinking about Quaker Christmas and I think I will probably buy it before long. It'd be nice to make a start and try and stitch it for Christmas this year but it's such a big piece it probably wouldn't happen! Although now I only have one full sized HAED on the go I feel liberated and able to stitch on other things more. Does that make sense?!!!

Take care care everyone and enjoy the rest of the week:)

Hugs

Tagged!

I've been tagged by Karan, Tracy and Kyrie! Now I've had this tag a few times before and, as I'm not that interesting I'm not sure just what weird and random facts I could tell you!

Rules:
Once you are tagged, link back to the person who tagged you.
Post the Rules on your blog.
Post 7 weird or random facts about yourself on your blog.
Tag 7 people and link them.
Comment on their blog to let them know they have been tagged.

Seven weird or random facts about me:

1. Looking at Nicki's facts reminded me that I had mumps when I was 21 and chicken pox when I was 31! Obviously I didn't "do" childhood diseases as a child! I was so ill when I had chicken pox I couldn't get out of bed and my DH had to take time of work to look after me and our children.
2. I struggle with confidence issues and can't get out of the habit of putting myself down.
3. I could cry at anything and wish my hormones would settle down and let me be normal again.
4. I love Winter and wish we still had lots of snow and frosts like we did years ago. It makes me feel so much better when the day starts off with a frost followed by the sun rather than rain and dullness.
5. I met my DH when I was going out with his cousin!
6. I never wanted children when DH and I were first married but I am so glad I changed my mind.
7. I wanted to be a linguist but ended up leaving school and working in a shop because my Mum was ill and I couldn't bear the hassle of keeping on studying and coping with stuff at home.

I'm not going to tag anyone as I see a lot of them going about.

A Spring Finish:)

It didn't take me long to stitch up my new start I showed the other day and I think those of you who tried to guess what I showed will be surprised what it actually is! Lol!

Shepherd's Bush Monthly Musings Lamb

Stitched on 10 count cream Tula

DMC threads

JABC Buttons

I am not terribly keen on the Tula fabric but I bought this a few years ago with fabric and button pack so thought I may as well use it. The picture I showed the other day was part of the ball of wool and knitting needles:) I'm not sure how I'm going to finish it off yet but I fancy a box finish. Next time I get a chance to go to Hobbycraft I'll see if I can a rectangular box the right size.

Last night I stitched on Chris' RR and it was so strange going from 10 count fabby to 36 count! It took a bit of adjusting to but I got there! I hope to finish my bit on the RR tonight:)

I know I'm very late with this but have an of you not seen this? It is Bygone Stitches Quaker Christmas and I've been looking at this longingly since it came out last year. It is huge but oh so pretty. I've been following Carol's progress of it on her blog and there is also a SAL blog with some lovely WIPs.

I may well treat myself to this later on in the year. I've already picked out a green and gold thread and thought about fabric I could use! Lol! A girl can dream!

Thank you for all your lovely comments on my ruched ribbon edge finish:) I wasn't the only one to try this as Carol finished hers off this way too!

Hugs

SAL Challange Reveal!

Today is reveal day for the JA/S&S SAL challenge:) I am not sure if the album is up on group but I'm posting mine here as I don't know when I'll get to blog again as we've got a busy-ish weekend. This month Dragonfly Stitches Valentine Heart was the winner of the vote and I'd just like to say thank you to Kris, the designer, for allowing us girls to use her gorgeous design. I chose to stitch mine on SMF ( I think) Sun Dappled Glade ( part of my present from Karen at Christmas) using Dragon Floss Friendship ( a gift from Julie). I made it up into a pincushion/ pillow whatever you want to call it and edge it with two different coloured ribbons. This was my first time using a ruched ribbon finish and I want to say a special thank you to Julie for explaining how to do this as I'd tried to follow some instructions but couldnt! I am rather pleased with how this turned out:)

I decided to have a small new start yesterday. Well I actually had two! One I started and finished but it's a pressie so not showing it yet and the other I started and actually managed to get a fair bit done. So here's a little peek of what I started! Lol! Any ideas?!!!

Sammy Jo has made my day by awarding me with the You Make My Day Award so thank you so much Sammy Jo:) I can't believe I have had this award three times and I am passing it on to all the blogs I read ( not just the ones listed here as I have loads more on my Google Reader).

Thanks for looking:)

Hugs

Stitching for Christmas!

I decided this year that I wanted to stitch some Christmas ornaments ready for the tree in December. I've wanted to do this other years but never really got any done so I am pretty determined to have a few new stitched by me ornaments! So before Christmas last year I bought the Prairie Schooler leaflet A Christmas Visit and I've just completed my first ornament, Welcome, from it. So that's one down, 6 to go! Of course I hope to stitch some from the JCS ornament magazines too over the next few months. I stitched this using DMC. Not sure of the fabric as it's a scrap I found in my fabric box!

While I was stitching this up I also stitched up Dragonfly Stitches Valentine Heart but it's not completely finished yet and I couldn't show it yet even if it was! Watch this space! Lol!

Last night was Ink Circles Sea Stars SAL with Karen. I continued to stitch on the octopus and still didn't get it finished but he's coming along nicely. I hope to finish him next week and stitch something different:) I think I'll probably do another motif rather than the ship's wheel.

For the rest of this week I am supposed to be stitching on HAED Winter but I have come to the conclusion that I am just not a two BAP ( for those who don;'t know Big Assed Project) girl. Out of the two, both HAEDs Winter and Guardian ( we are talking 30 odd chart pages in each), I think I have more chance of actually finishing Guardian with it only being 8 colours and having big blocks of colour so Winter is going to be taking a back seat for some time. I know a lot of HAED stitchers stitch more than one BAP but I just can't do it and I don't still want to be stitching them in 10 years time and I don't see the point in wasting valuable stitching time if they're never going to get finished. So that's that! Just one HAED BAP and one quick stitch for the foreseable future.

I think my GAST and WDW order from JJ's will be despatched soon so I might just get them in time to start the Blackbird Designs Yahoo Group SAL which was postponed until 29th February because there were a few still waiting for supplies. I just had an invoice for shipping and handling charges so I'm guessing they'll be shipped today. I'm looking forward to starting this SAL as it'll be my first ever BD design:)

Oh I must tell you about Kyrie's PIF! Kyrie wrote on her blog when she posted a picture of the fob I stitched that the forget me not is the symbol for Chronic Fatique Syndrome which she suffers from. I had no idea that it was the symbol so it must have been fate that I chose to stitch the forget me not scissor keeper for her:) So glad you liked it Kyrie:)

Thank you for continuing to visit me in my little world here and for leaving the wonderful comments:) I appreciate it so much:)

Hugs

PIF to Kyrie

Now that Kyrie has received her PIF from me ( 10 out of 10 to the postal service here and in Australia) I can show what I stitched for her.

The Drawn Thread Forget Me Not Keeper

Stitched with DMC

I also included a couple of the new DMC Satin threads for Kyrie to try. Not tried them myself but according to the lady in the local arts and crafts store they are lovely.

In a few weeks I will probably move onto my next round of PIFs:)

No other stitching to show as yet. I've finished the JA/ S&S SAL challenge for February which is Dragonfly Stitches Valentine Heart but I need to make it up into something ready for reveal day then I'll be able to show it! I really enjoyed stitching this lovely little design. I also started my first Prairie Schooler Christmas ornament and hope to finish that off later this afternoon. It would have been finished last night but I ran out of DMC 3362. Why is I have a lot of doubles but never the one I need??? I went to the local arts and crafts shop this morning and bought a skein so that I could finish it. I begrudge paying 60p a skein for it but if I need it I have no other choice.

I hope everyone had a lovely Valentine's Day. As you know my DH had been away on a course and didn't get back until 8.45 Wednesday evening. When I gave him his card on Thursday morning he said I could have mine when he'd written it! Lol! As it was when he came to write it he realised that he'd bought one that said "To The Man In My Life" on the front of it!! Now should I have been offended or worried?!! Needless to say he went out and bought me another one!! The girls and I have not let him live it down yet! I am guessing he bought the first card in a bit of a hurry!

I'll be back in a few days with my update on Sea Stars and, hopefully, my PS Christmas ornament. No Queen of the Needle until Helen gets back and I'm going to miss stitching on it.

Have a wonderful week! It's beautiful here at the moment as we're having sharp frosts then gorgeous sunshine for the rest of the day!

Hugs

Some Updates

I have had quite a good stitching week so far this week for all me and the girls were playing on the Wii for a while on Monday evening but I managed to tear myself away to do some stitching! Lol! As you will all know by now Monday is Just Nan Queen of the Needle SAL with Helen and this time I completed the verse and the other bunny. Just have a bit of backstitch to do and I can move onto the next band but that won't be for two weeks as while Helen is away I'm not going to stitch on it. Hopefully the image will be clickable so you can see it better as it's a bit small! Still loving stitching this.

And another one I'm still loving stitching is Ink Circles Sea Stars; my Tuesday SAL with Karen. Last week I didn't get any done as I wasn't feeling well enough to stitch but last night I got quite a bit stitched whilst watching Holby City and CSI:) I got the motif I was working on last time finished, stitched another one then made a start on the octopus. I just love how this one stitches up.

Also thought I'd post a piccie of the page I've got done on Chris' RR. This is a lovely piece to stitch and I'm so pleased we decided on this RR. Chris chose DMC 791 for hers and it looks gorgeous. Abi is going to a friend's this afternoon so I think I'll make a start on another page and concentrate on that for the afternoon.

Yesterday I received my Blackbird Designs Loose Feathers #29 Where My Heart Blooms with the suggested fabric. I must say that the fabric is a little, er, strange but I'm sure it'll be fine! Lol! The chart is absolutely gorgeous and I can hardly wait to start stitching on it!

My DH is due back from his course tonight so me and the girls are looking forward to his return, even though he can be a pain at times! LOL!

Hope everyone is having a good week. I'm sorry if I haven't caught up with all your blogs yet but I will get around to it at some point!

My Hunky Angel!

Not much stitching to show this blog post I'm afraid. I just have my progress on Heaven and Earth Designs Guardian ( Paula will be getting very excited!) I did manage to get all the metallic finished on page 7 and made a start on page 2. I decided to stitch one page of background then one page where the angel is so I don't lose interest so I'm now on a page of background. It does go quite quickly as there are big areas of one colour so this is my progress for this time. This is pages 1 and 7 complete and page 2 started.

I finally got Kyrie's PIF finished and made up but I'm not going to show it yet as it will spoil the surprise so that'll be a post for later on once it's flown over to Australia:) I've also got one page of Chris' RR done and I really stitching it. The fabric she chose is so nice to stitch on.

Tonight will be SAL night with Helen on Queen of the Needle as usual but that will be the last for a couple of weeks as Helen is going away on holiday so I thought it only fair that I didn't stitch on it while she's away.

I have received another Make My Day award this time from Andrea Thank you so much Andrea and right back at ya! As I said before I can't possibly pick just 10 as I there are way more blogs than on my list here that I actually visit and enjoy so this award goes out to all those I visit:)

Still no sign on my Blackbird Designs Loose Feathers chart and fabby arriving from Needlecraft Corner so I doubt I'll be ready to start the SAL. My thread order from JJ's that I ordered in their superbowl sale hasn't been shipped as yet so I won't have the threads even if the chart and fabby arrive. Hopefully the threads will be despatched at some point this week.

Thank you to all those who sent hugs and good wishes when I was under the weather last week. Still not feeling 100% ( mind you I never do anymore) and it's difficult to know what to do for the best. I know I am going to have to go to the doctors ( again!) and , hopefully, get myself sorted out.

DH has just set off to Bristol for his "assert yourself" course! As always his hire car didn't arrive on time so he was later setting off than he'd have liked. I must admit, for all us girls can now watch what we want on TV etc, I really didn't want him to go.

Have a great week everyone! {{{{hugs}}}}

Blah!

Poor Abi has been down this week with the sickness bug that's doing the rounds again. She hasn't actually been sick but been feeling it and looked so pale and awful. She's had three days off school but was feeling well enough to go back today. Tuesday after tea I felt awful and thought I was going to pass out so I don't know if I've picked up the bug or what but let's just say I am sick and tired of feeling ill and I'm so fed-up with everything. I feel as though I get no support in anything anymore and just get taken for granted. I won't say anymore as my blog will get boring ( or is it already?) so I'm zipping it as I don't want to lose my readers.

So I only have an update on Queen this week as I didn't stitch on Sea Stars at all so I reckon Karen will have got more done now:) I didn't get that much done on Queen as the cashmere stitch row seemed to take ages to finish but I had to get a bunny done at least:) Isn't he/ she a cutie!

I have finished stitching Kyrie's PIF gift but still have to make it up so I hope to get that done soon. I'm not sure how it's going to turn out as I missed some backstitch off and didn't realise until it was too late when I'd pulled fabric threads. Ever get the feeling you really shouldn't be allowed near fabric and threads?!!! I've also got half a page of Chris' RR done. The fabric she chose is lovely to stitch on and I really enjoyed the bit I got done. I may sit and stitch more on it this afternoon.

I have the February JA/S&S SAL challenge to start yet but at least I have an idea of what fabric and thread I'm going to use providing the fabric is a bit enough piece. We are doing Dragonfly Stitches Valentine Heart this time and it's really pretty so I really want to stitch it. Reveal day is 22nd Feb this time ( I think!).

I'm hoping my first Blackbird Designs Loose Feathers chart and fabby ( yes Helen I am still on the chart wagon!) will arrive this week. As far as I know Drema despatched them last week as some of the girls on the Blackbird Designs Yahoo group have got theirs. I'm hoping to take part in the SAL there starting 15th Feb but I don't think my threads will arrive in time as I ordered them in JJ's superbowl sale and haven't heard anything yet. I know they get really busy at sale times though so I will just have to wait:)

I'm going to catch up on blogs for an hour or so then I suppose I better do some housework! Hope everyone is having a good week! {{{{hugs}}}}

Spring Morning

How is everybody doing after the recent cold snap we had here in the UK? We didn't get enough snow to get excited about and I was disappointed to see some areas on the UK with lots of the lovely white stuff! Our winters are just so dreary here on the east coast now. When I think back we used to get lots of snow throughout winter and lots of lovely frosty mornings and days but now all we seem to get is dreary rain:(

I have had a good few days on Chatelaine Spring Morning. Oh why couldn't the Christmas mystery be as nice as this?! You may remember my Dad bought me the full kit for Christmas 2006 so I have all the lovely Needlepoint Inc silks and Thread Gatherer Silk 'n' Colors for this and they are just gorgeous to stitch with. So here's my progress so far which I am very pleased with:) The satin stitch violets are a little strange to stitch and I've had to frog one as it wasn't quite right but thankfully it was only one! I'm looking forward to picking this one up again.

So tonight is JN Queen of the Needle and tomorrow is Ink Circles Sea Stars then in my rotation for the rest of week ( calm down Paula ) is HAED Guardian. I don't think I will get much done as I have to finish filling in the metallic on the page I was stitching on and metallic is NOT my favourite thing to stitch with! I also want to make a start on Chris' RR in an afternoon if I get chance and finish Kyrie's PIF.

It's half term here next week so I'm looking forward to spending some time with the girls. DH is on a course Monday to Wednesday in Bristol then is taking the rest of the week off so depending on the weather we might get a day out.

Hope everyone is having a good start to the week. Please help cheer Lisa on in her quest to finish HAED qs Tomboy.

{{{{hugs}}}}

Good Day!

You may remember late on last year I stitched the Prairie Schooler Autumn Pinkeep from the September issue of The Gift of Stitching. I enoyed stitching it so much and thought it was such a neat little design. Anyway I contacted Kirsten, the editor, to ask if there would be the other three seasons to complete the set. She said it was a great idea and would get in touch with Pam Smith of PS. Well imagine my delight when I downloaded the February issue and there were the other three seasons!! So thank you Kirsten and Pam!! These will be a must stitch for me this year!

No stitching to share today. I made a start on Chatelaine Spring Morning and have thoroughly enjoyed stitching on this for the last two evenings. The silks are so nice to stitch with; I just don't want to put it down. I also make a start on Kyrie's PIF yesterday afternoon but found I'd made a mistake and had to frog the bottom bit! Those ****** frogs must really hate me this week!! I shall cast them out into the freezing snow if they don't leave me alone!!

Yes it's snowing here but it's not laying ( which is a shame) as we had rain beforehand but as the evening comes in I think ( hope!) it might. We've had high winds which kept me awake last night as it was blowing right in at the bedroom window and I kept thinking the window was going to blow in! Guess I should've got out of bed and stitched!

I almost forgot! Sam I will check the colour number of the variations for the bluey grey motif. I write the number of the colour against each motif so I will know!

Finally today I have had the honour of being given the You Make My Day award by Jaimie of Bell Literacy Reflection and Lavender and Lace Stitches Thank you so much Jaimie for this award. You made my day by giving it to me:) Now I am supposed to pass this award on to 10 bloggers who make my day but there is no way I can pick just 10 as I read so many wonderful blogs that make my day so this award is for anyone whose blog I visit:)

I need to get caught up on blogs but haven't had chance today so that may be a job for tomorrow! DH and I went to Jess' year 12 review today and it went very well. All the teachers had nothing but praise for her and I think I upset her chemistry teacher as she looked at me and said I know you! I used to teach you didn't I? I replied yes and she said oh God!! Guess it must make them feel rather old!! Lol! Anyway as you can imagine we are delighted Jess is doing well.

Better go! Have a good weekend everyone!